Show Me, Baby

Unfortunately, I had another show to prepare for. However—I glanced at my watch—I had time to visit someone who should be able to help. As long as he didn’t decide to be a pain in the ass and force me to go on a merry chase for Anna. All for his own twisted amusement.

I stalked to Knox’s office and Darby, his secretary, blushed and smiled when she spotted me. She always seemed to have this reaction around me, and while I knew I was considered easy on the eyes, I was surprised she hadn’t gotten over being starstruck in the year I’d been performing at the Lennox. I returned her smile and lifted my chin toward Knox’s closed door. “He in?”

Darby nodded and pushed the intercom button. Before she could say anything, Knox’s gruff voice barked, “Tell whoever it is to go the fuck away.” A feminine giggle followed his instruction, and I rolled my eyes. Obviously, he was in there with his wife doing the kind of things I was hoping to be doing to Anna very soon. But I didn’t have time to wait for him to finish his…activities.

This time, I reached over, hit the button myself, and spoke without waiting for him to answer. “It’s Julian. We need to talk.”

There was a long pause, and I was about to hit the button again when he finally said, “Fine. I need to talk to you anyway.” After another minute, the door opened and Addilyn waddled out of Knox’s office. She winked at me, and I was grateful she was facing away from her husband because I liked my face just the way it was.

“I know quite a few women who would love to be kidnapped by you, Julian,” she teased. “If you’re interested.”

I shook my head firmly. “There’s only one woman who has captured my attention.”

Addilyn’s smile grew and she canted her head, looking at me with sparkling brown eyes. “I had a feeling that was the case.” Then she twisted—as much as she could with her very large stomach—and glared back at Knox. “Don’t be an ass.”

His eyes narrowed on his wife, and I chuckled but swallowed it when his scowl turned on me. I wasn’t afraid of Knox unless it involved his wife. Then he became a scary motherfucker no one wanted to mess with. “Get in here,” he snapped.

I walked in and slammed the door behind me, then stood in front of his desk with my feet planted apart and my arms crossed over my chest. “I need your help,” I stated.

Knox leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow. “And I need you to stop kidnapping women from your audience.”

I rolled my eyes. “No problem. Now, I need to find Anna, but I have another show in an hour.”

“Just like that? No more kidnapping?”

I started to agree but stopped when I realized it would be a lie. “I didn’t say that.” If snatching Anna was what it took, I wouldn’t hesitate. “The audience thing was a one-time occurance”—I narrowed my eyes on him—“and I’m pretty sure you know that, so stop busting my balls and let’s get back to finding Anna.”

“Why exactly would I help you stalk one of our employees, Storm?” His face was deadpan, but the glint in his eyes hinted at his amusement with the situation. My hands balled into fists at my side to keep me from leaping over the desk and strangling the jackass.

“Don’t pretend you didn’t take advantage of the security resources here when you were chasing down Addilyn.”

“It was different. She was my wife,” he rationalized.

I snorted and eyed him drolly. “I’m not sure it counts when you had to get her drunk to marry you, and she ran to get an annulment right after you said ‘I do.’” I grinned and needled him a little further. “You’re a walking, talking cliché, man.”

Knox glared at me and grunted, “Doesn’t matter. My ring was on her finger, and that’s where it stayed.”

“And as soon as you stop wasting both of our time, I’ll be putting one on Anna’s.”

Knox contemplated me for a few moments, his eyes searching my face. He must have found what he was looking for because he grabbed a slip of paper and scrawled something on it before holding it out for me to take.

I glanced down to see a web address and a string of letters and numbers. “Our security feed is on an airtight, secured network. But that address will take you there, and the password will get you in.” He speared me with an intense look and added, “There is a log of anyone who accesses the site. If I think for a second that you’ve given it out or even lost this information, I won’t hesitate to have Drew lock your ass up. No matter how much our wives enjoy your show.”